Scientists unveil major breakthrough that could revolutionize future devices — here are the details

A team of Dutch researchers at the University of Twente has developed a powerful semiconductor that does not use silicon, according to Earth.com. 

Semiconductors are the basis of modern electronics, from your lights to your computer. They are also a critical component in solar technology. 

The key ingredient in the scientists' study was a perovskite compound. 

Perovskite is a family of minerals that can be used to make all kinds of semiconductors, either paired with the usual silicon or used separately. That science is not quite ready for mass production, but it could create a cheaper alternative to silicon that is just as efficient. 

As the team explained in the study, making semiconductors typically requires applying high temperatures around 1,470 degrees Fahrenheit. This heat can limit the kind of materials that can be used and the quality of the results. 

Instead, the researchers developed a process using lasers and epitaxy — a method from growing crystals — that allowed them to create delicate perovskite-based layers at room temperature. 

While that might sound like something out of science fiction, the breakthrough opens up the possibility of using perovskites in semiconductor designs. This group of compounds can be fragile and weaken over time, but the study shows how avoiding extreme heat can make them stronger and more stable. 

The team also tested the new process in solar cells and found that their perovskite layers rivaled silicon in efficiency. 

For now, these results are only possible in a laboratory setting. But they could be laying the foundation for the next generation of electronics, including solar panels. 

Professor Monica Morales-Masis led the study, and it was published in Nature Synthesis. Next, the team plans to begin prototyping solar devices and light detectors. 

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No one has to wait for scientific discoveries to benefit from solar panels. The options on the market today are already helping communities across the country decrease energy costs. 

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